Idioms3

50 IDIOMS

(1) Pull the other leg/one (it's got bells on)! - used when you do not believe what someone has just said.
eg: Helen, mountain climbing? Pull the other one - she can't even climb a ladder without feeling sick!
(2) at this point in time - just for the present moment; temporarily.
eg: I have no intention of getting married at this point in time.
(3) a pain (in the neck) - someone or something that is very annoying.
eg: That child is a real pain in the neck.
Driving on the highway during rush hours is a pain in the neck.
(4) have second thoughts - to change your opinion about something or start to doubt it.
eg: You're not having second thoughts about getting married, are you?
(5) be lost without sb/sth - to be unable to live or work without someone or something.
eg: I'm lost without my computer.
I'd be lost without you.
(6) kids stuff - something that is so easy to do or understand that it is thought to be not very serious or only suitable for children.
eg: A five-mile bike ride? That's kids' stuff.
(7) a mine of information (about / on sb/sth)a person, book, etc. that can give you a lot of information on a particular subject.
eg: If you need help with the quiz, ask your grandfather. He’s a mine of information.
(8) in the know - having more information about sth than most people.
eg: Somebody in the know told me he’s going to resign.
(9) not put sth down - If you cannot put a book down, you are unable to stop reading it until you reach the end.
eg: It was so exciting from the first page I couldn't put it down.
(10) get off my back! - used to tell someone to stop criticizing you.
eg: Why don't you get off my back! I'm doing my best.
(11) Go back to sleep! - used to tell someone off for not paying attention.
eg: "Sorry, what did you say?" "Oh, go back to sleep!"
(12) time and (time) again - very often.
eg: I've told you time and time again - look before you cross the road.
(13) from (the) cradle to (the) grave - for all of a person's life.
eg: She lived in the same village from the cradle to the grave.
(14) have your head (buried/stuck) in a book - to be reading.
eg: Rose always has her head buried in a book.
(15) That's a new one on me - said when someone has just told you a surprising fact that you did not know before.
eg: "Sian and Richard are getting married." "Really! That's a new one on me!"
(16) go fly a kite - used to tell someone who is being annoying to go away.
(17) run your eye over - to look quickly at the whole of something.
eg: Can I have a copy of the article to run my eye over, before it's printed?
(18) written all over sb's face - If an emotion is written all over someone's face, it is clear what they are feeling.
eg: Guilt was written all over her face.
(19) go over sth in your mind (also turn sth over in your mind) - to think repeatedly about an event that has happened.
eg: She would go over the accident again and again in her mind, wishing that she could somehow have prevented it.
(20) fall over yourself - to be very eager to do something.
eg: Publishers are falling over themselves to produce non-fiction for seven-year-olds.
(21) the next thing I knew - used to talk about part of a story that happens in a sudden and surprising way.
eg: A car came speeding round the corner, and the next thing I knew I was lying on the ground.
(22) (and) that sort of thing - used to show that what you have just said is only an example from a much larger group of things.
eg: They sell souvenirs, postcards, that sort of thing.
(23) sure thing - used to show agreement.
eg: "Could you give me a lift home tonight?" "Sure thing!"
(24) what with one thing and another - You say what with one thing and another when you want to explain that the reason you have failed to do something is because you have been very busy.
eg: What with one thing and another, I forgot to phone you yesterday.
(25) the thing is - used to introduce a subject for discussion.
eg:The thing is, my parents like me to be home by 10 o'clock.
(26) all things being equal - if everything happens as expected.
eg: All things being equal, I'll be at home on Tuesday.
(27) if there's one thing I want to know/find out, etc. - said before describing what it is that you especially want to know or discover, etc.
eg: If there's one thing I want to know, it's where he goes on Thursday afternoons.
(28) in the first/second place - used to separate and emphasize reasons or opinions.
eg: I don't want to go yet - in the first place I'm not ready, and in the second place it's raining.
(29) without a second thought - If you do something without a second thought, you do it immediately without having any doubts about it.
eg: When I asked to borrow some money, she gave me £100 without a second thought.
(30) it wouldn't hurt you to do sth - something that you say which means you think someone should do something because they rarely do it.
eg: It wouldn't hurt you to do the ironing for once.
(31) Are my eyes deceiving me? - something you say when you cannot believe what you see.
eg: Is that snow in May, or are my eyes deceiving me?
(32) Search me! - something that you say when you do not know the answer to a question.
eg: "Where's Jack?" "Search me!"
(33) take it from me (also take my word for it) - accept that what I say is true, because I know or have experienced it.
eg: It won't work - take it from me.
(34) turn upside down - to (cause something to) change completely and in a bad way.
eg: Another poor harvest could turn the country's economy upside down.
Their lives were turned upside down when their son was arrested.
(35) make no mistake about it - used to show that you are certain about something.
eg: Make no mistake about it, this decision is going to cause you a lot of problems.
(36) suit yourself! - an expression used either humorously or angrily to mean 'do what you want to do'.
eg: "I don't think I'll come to the party tonight." "All right, suit yourself!"
(37) a world of difference - If there is a world of difference between two people or things, they are very different.
eg: There's a world of difference between the service in the two hotels.
There’s a world of difference between liking someone and loving them.
(38) make a world of difference - If something makes a world of difference, it improves something very much.
eg: A little sympathy makes a world of difference to someone who's been badly treated.
make all the difference (to sb/sth) - to have an important effect on sb/sth; to make sb feel better.
eg: A few kind words at the right time make all the difference.
(39) same difference - used to say that you think the differences between two things are not important.
eg: ‘That’s not a xylophone, it’s a glockenspiel.’ ‘Same difference.’
same difference - said when you agree that what you said was not exactly correct, but you think the difference is unimportant.
eg: Did you see that bus?" "Actually it was a coach." "Same difference."
with a difference - used to show that sth is interesting or unusual.
eg: The traditional backpack with a difference—it’s waterproof.
Try new Cremetti - the ice cream with a difference.

(40) fair enough - used to say that an idea or suggestion seems reasonable.
eg: ‘We’ll meet at 8.’ ‘Fair enough.’
If you don’t want to come, fair enough, but let Bill know.
fair enough - something you say to show that you understand why someone has done or said something.
eg: "I'm just annoyed with him because he's behaved so badly." "Fair enough."
(41) I wouldn't say no - used to say that you would like something that is offered to you.
eg: "Would you like another drink?" "I wouldn't say no."
(42) not take your eyes off sb/sth - to not stop looking at someone or something.
eg: He was so handsome - I couldn't take my eyes off him.
(43) to my eye - used when giving your opinion about the appearance of something or someone.
eg: You see, to my eye, she looks better without make-up.
(44) do as you think best - to choose the action that you judge to be most suitable.
eg: "Do you think I should take this job or try for another?" "You should do as you think best."
(45) (how much) do you want to bet? - said in answer to something that someone has said, meaning that you are certain that they are wrong.
eg: "Surely she won't be late this time." "How much do you want to bet?"
(46) between you and me - an expression used to tell someone that what you are about to say should be kept secret.
eg: Don't tell this to anyone else - it's just between you and me.
(47) the real Mc'Coy - something that is genuine and that has value, not a copy.
eg: It’s an American flying jacket, the real McCoy.
(48) be etched on/in your memory - to be something that you will continue to remember.
eg: The scene will be etched on my memory forever.
(49) jog sb's memory - to make someone remember something.
eg: The police showed him a photo to try to jog his memory about what had happened on the night of the robbery.
(50) if my memory serves me right - if I remember correctly.
eg: I think he was called Brian, if my memory serves me right.